Fall foliage will soon spread across the southeast

DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) – The latest fall foliage check shows much of the Southeast will have at least a little color as of Wednesday, October 16th.

Of course, this is caused by shorter days, which means the sun has fewer opportunities to produce the green pigment chlorophyll.

September through November is usually plenty of time for much of the U.S. to see the color changes and leaf fall. In more southern latitudes, fall foliage color usually reaches its peak in mid to late November.

The image below shows where we were in mid-November 2023. Peak color was noted across much of the state, as well as most of Georgia and Mississippi. Since the leaves fall off in large numbers in a short period of time, there is little time to take the best photos. The best photo opportunities in Alabama are in the higher elevation forest areas.

What causes the leaves to fall behind in color compared to the rest of the region?

It depends mainly on the chlorophyll component in the leaves, which in most cases causes the plants to take on a certain shade of green. As the days grow shorter in the fall, the chlorophyll in the leaf begins to fade and brighter shades of red, orange, and brown begin to appear instead. Sunlight leads to the development of chlorophyll in the leaves, corresponding to traditional green colors, and the absence of much of this chemical results in your fall colors.

Here are the different types of leaves and the colors they typically take in fall. There is a wide selection and there is something for everyone! Some of the shortest days before winter here in the Wiregrass usually provide the opportunity to witness these brilliant colors.

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